Before the presentation began, Councillor Lawrence requested that a site visit be undertaken before hearing the application and debating it again. The Chair suggested that the Committee hear the officer’s presentation first before deciding on a site visit. Councillor Rice agreed that a site visit should be undertaken and added that a virtual site visit could be undertaken.

Matthew Gallagher, Major Applications Manager, presented the report. In addition to the factual updates on page 131 of the Agenda, there had been additional updates received since the publication of the Agenda:

·         An additional 7 letters from local residents that expressed disappointment at the resolution that Committee Members had made on the application’s first hearing and at the idea of a virtual meeting.

·         The Local Planning Authority had received a letter on 4 June 2020 from a solicitor representing the adjoining land owner to the west of the site regarding matters of land ownership and access. Officers had concluded that the matter referred only to matters of land ownership and the need for future negotiations regarding linkages across adjoining land for connectivity improvements.

·         A letter had been received on 5 June from the Agent which Members had also been included in and the content related to a legal opinion from the Applicant’s legal adviser.

Matthew Gallagher continued on with the presentation and went over the report in the Agenda on pages 129 – 186. He drew attention to the five factors raised by Members on 19 March 2020 as reasons for approving the application contrary to officer’s recommendation.  An analysis of the five factors was provided within the report. Officers considered that these matters did not affect the planning considerations and the recommendation to refuse planning permission remained unchanged.

The Committee discussed the option of a site visit and felt that the site visit should be physical as opposed to a virtual site visit. This would enable them to see the site with their own eyes. The Vice-Chair wondered whether a site visit would help the Committee come to a decision with material planning considerations in mind to support their final decision. The Committee felt that seeing the site would help to answer some information regarding ecology that had been in the email from Peter Harvey which had been declared earlier in the meeting.

Councillor Lawrence proposed the site visit and Councillor Rice seconded this.

(Following Chapter 5, Part 3, para. 13.5 of the Constitution, Councillor Churchman could not participate or vote on this item).

For: (6) Councillors Tom Kelly, Mike Fletcher, Sue Sammons, David Potter, Angela Lawrence and Gerard Rice.

Against: (2) Councillors Gary Byrne and Sue Shinnick.

Abstained: (0)

Planning application 19/01058/OUT was deferred until a physical site visit could take place whilst adhering to national government guidelines on social distancing guidance.

Steve Taylor commented on the Local Plan policies map that had been shown on the presentation and suggested that colour key be added to give clarity on the different shaded colours of the map. Matthew Gallagher agreed that this would be done for future presentations.

Noting that the housing mass within the proposal had been reduced, Steve Taylor asked for more detail on the commercial development proposed for the site as he felt there was a lack of detail for this in the report. Matthew Gallagher explained that the commercial floor space for the site had been increased but that the application was for outline planning permission so the layout and scale of the site was indicative and the main matter for discussion was in regards to the principle of the development in a Green Belt location.

(Councillor Sammons left the meeting at 7.18pm).

(Chris Smith, Adults Social Care Manager, joins the meeting via MST at 7.20pm).

(The meeting adjourned at 7.18pm and recommenced at 7.23pm).